Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:7

And Josiah gave to the people who were present thirty thousand lambs and kids, and three thousand calves: King Josiah made a personal contribution to the celebration of the Passover. The lambs and kids (young goats) were for the Passover meal, and the calves were for the sacrifices (see 1 Esdras 1.6). The Greek word for lambs refers to young male sheep, and the word for kids to young male goats. Thirty thousand lambs and kids means a total of 30,000 young sheep and goats, not 30,000 lambs and 30,000 kids. The Greek word for calves refers to young bulls. We may render this sentence as “Josiah gave to the people who were there, 30,000 young [male] sheep and goats and 3,000 calves [or, young male cows], for them to use while celebrating the Passover feast [or, fiesta].”

These were given from the king’s possessions, as he promised, to the people and the priests and Levites: The reference to this promise is unknown, unless the writer has in mind 2 Chr 34.31-32, in which case the promise was made to God, not to the people. This is not certain, however. The first part of the verse says that these animals were given to the people. The most natural way to understand the Greek of this second part is that the animals were given to the people, priests, and Levites, but it is not clear to whom Josiah made his promise. Since the first part of verse 7 has Josiah giving animals to the people, with verse 8 having three certain men giving animals to the priests, and verse 9 having six other men giving animals to the Levites, it is natural to assume that Josiah had made a promise to the people, the priests, and the Levites that he would give all these animals to the people. If, as some scholars believe, the first part of this book is missing, it could be that material now lost spoke of Josiah’s promise.

Alternative models for this verse are:

• Josiah gave to the people [who were] there, for use in the Passover, 30,000 young sheep and goats and 3,000 calves. These were animals from his own herds, which he gave to carry out a promise he had made to the people, the priests, and the Levites.

• Josiah gave 30,000 young [male] sheep and goats and 3,000 calves [or, young bulls] to the people who were there, for them to use in the Passover celebration [or, festival/fiesta]. These were….

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:8

And Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the chief officers of the temple, gave to the priests for the passover two thousand six hundred sheep and three hundred calves: As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, the Greek text has the name “Esyelus” instead Jehiel. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible harmonize this text with 2 Chr 35.8, and we agree, although no footnote is necessary. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel were the chief officers of the temple, which may be rendered “the officials in charge of the temple” (Contemporary English Version). Good News Bible translates for the passover as “for the sacrifices during the festival,” which is quite adequate, but some translators may wish to say “for them to celebrate the Passover.” The Greek word for sheep can also include goats, so translators may refer to “sheep and goats” here (compare 2 Chr 35.8). The following model of this verse is based on Contemporary English Version:

• In addition, the officials in charge of the Temple—Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel—gave the priests 2,600 sheep [and goats] and 300 calves, so that the priests could celebrate the Passover.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:9

And Jeconiah and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brother, and Hashabiah and Ochiel and Joram, captains over thousands, gave the Levites for the passover five thousand sheep and seven hundred calves: Captains over thousands means these men were military leaders of a thousand men each. Good News Bible says simply “army commanders.” The following model of this verse is based on Contemporary English Version:

• Finally, Jeconiah, Shemaiah and his brother Nethanel, together with Hashabiah, Ochiel, and Joram, also donated animals for the Passover Festival. These men were army commanders in charge of a thousand troops each, and together they gave the Levites a total of 5,000 sheep [and goats] and 700 calves.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:10 - 1:11

And this is what took place is literally “And when these things were done.” Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible translate this clause to refer to what is about to happen, but in fact it refers to what has already happened, that is, the provision of the animals to be sacrificed. “When everything was ready” would be a good translation.

The priests and the Levites, properly arrayed …: The Greek expression for properly arrayed does not mean the same as the one rendered “arrayed in their garments” in verse 2. In fact, the text does not say arrayed at all. The Greek word here implies that they were properly dressed, but covers more than that. They were dressed up as befit the occasion. The New English Bible (New English Bible) has “in all their splendour.” Myers says “with proper dignity.” We may also say “dressed beautifully for this occasion.”

And having the unleavened bread: Unleavened bread (Contemporary English Version “thin bread”) refers to bread that was baked without yeast or anything else to cause it to rise. Translators will have encountered this term many times in the Old Testament. Good News Bible renders this clause as “and carrying the unleavened bread,” which is a good model.

Stood according to kindred and the grouping of the fathers’ houses means the priests and Levites stood in groups, with those most closely related standing together (see verses 4-5). New English Bible translates according to kindred and the grouping of the fathers’ houses as “in the order of their clans and families.” Contemporary English Version has “in groups of families and clans.”

Before the people may be rendered “in front of the people” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version).

The first part of verses 10 and 11 may be translated “When everything was ready, the priests and Levites showing proper dignity, and carrying unleavened bread, stood in groups of families and clans before the people.”

To make the offering to the Lord as it is written in the book of Moses: It will be good to begin a new sentence here, for example, “Then they began to offer the Passover sacrifice to the Lord….” The book of Moses refers to the Torah, the Law of Moses. Good News Bible renders as it is written in the book of Moses as “according to the instructions in the Law of Moses.” We may also say “following the instructions in the Law of Moses” or “as the Law of Moses commands” (Contemporary English Version).

This they did in the morning: We suggest placing this clause immediately after the first clause in verse 10 by combining verses 10 and 11 as follows:

• When everything was ready, the priests and Levites, during the morning, took their places with proper dignity, standing in family groups [or, in groups representing families and clans]. They carried unleavened bread and stood in front of the people to offer the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, as commanded in the Law of Moses.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:12

They roasted the passover lamb with fire, as required: The pronoun They has to refer to the Levites (see verse 13), which Good News Bible makes explicit. For the passover lamb, see 1 Esdras 1.1. Although the singular is used here, there were obviously many lambs and goats slaughtered on this occasion, so translators may certainly shift to the plural (so Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version with “the Passover sacrifices”). For most translators the phrase with fire is better translated “over fires” (this is what roasting is) or even omitted as unnecessary. According to Exo 12.8-9, the Passover animals are to be roasted, but according to Deut 16.7, they are to be boiled. Here is a possible model for this whole clause: “The Levites roasted the meat of the Passover animals over fires, just as the Law required.”

And they boiled the sacrifices in brass pots and caldrons: For the sacrifices, which refers to the cattle that were offered as sacrifices during the Passover Festival, see 1 Esdras 1.6. Some translators may find it helpful to speak of “the meat of the sacrifices” rather than the sacrifices to avoid the impression that whole animals were boiled. The Greek words for brass pots and caldrons refer to large metal pots in which food may be boiled in large quantity.

With a pleasing odor may be rendered “making a pleasant smell” (Good News Bible) or even “The cooking meat smelled wonderful!” (Contemporary English Version).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• The Levites roasted the Passover animals in the proper manner, and boiled the meat of the other sacrificed animals in brass pots and kettles. The smell was good [or, delicious].

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:13

And carried them to all the people: In Greek this clause concludes the last sentence of the previous verse, so it may be directly joined to verse 12, but we believe Good News Bible deals with it better by making it a separate sentence explaining more clearly what is happening. Good News Bible has “Then they [the Levites] distributed the meat to all the people.” The Levites did not just carry the meat to the people, but “distributed” it, so that the people could eat it.

Afterward they prepared the passover for themselves and for their brethren, the priests, the sons of Aaron may be rendered “Then they prepared the Passover meat for themselves and their relatives, the priests, the descendants of Aaron.” The Greek text does not have a direct object for the verb prepared. Revised Standard Version adds the implied idea of the passover.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:14

Because the priests were offering the fat until night: The Levites had to prepare the Passover meat for the priests because the priests were occupied with offering sacrifices. The priests had to wait until the evening of that day before they could eat anything. The fat refers to the fatty parts of the sacrifices mentioned in verses 6 and 12. These were probably fellowship offerings. When an animal was sacrificed as a fellowship offering, the meat was eaten, either by the priests or those making the offering. The fat, along with other parts of the carcass, was burned. See, for instance, Lev 3.1-17 and 7.11-36.

So the Levites prepared it for themselves and for their brethren the priests, the sons of Aaron: Translators do not need to repeat this clause that already occurs in verse 13 (so Good News Bible and the models below).

We recommend Good News Bible as a good alternative model for verses 13-14, but again we counsel translators to be careful not to simply copy any model, but study them carefully. The following model for combining verses 13 and 14 is based on Contemporary English Version:

• All day long the priests offered sacrifices and burned the fat of the animals on the altar. So when the Levites had distributed the Passover meat to all the people, they prepared it for themselves and their relatives, who were the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 1:15 - 1:16

And the temple singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their place …: The connector And may be omitted (so Good News Bible). Since the temple singers also played instruments (see 1 Chr 25), this phrase may be rendered “the Temple musicians” (similarly Contemporary English Version). These singers were the sons of Asaph, that is, Asaph’s descendants, who were a clan of Levites who specialized in singing and playing for the Temple services.

According to the arrangement made by David, and also Asaph, Zechariah, and Eddinus, who represented the king: See 1 Chr 25.1; 2 Chr 8.14. In the Greek text Asaph, Zechariah, and Eddinus are all representatives of King David; the relative pronoun who does not refer only to Eddinus, although some manuscripts have it so. This whole phrase may be rendered “in the positions that King David and his representatives [or, officials], Asaph, Zechariah and Eddinus, had assigned to them.”

The gatekeepers were at each gate: The gatekeepers of the Temple also were Levites, but had special duties (see 1 Chr 9.17-27; 26.1-19). Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version refer to them as Temple “guards,” but this suggests they had police or military duties, which would be misleading. In addition to opening the Temple gates in the morning and closing them at night, they had responsibility for the Temple treasury and certain Temple rooms. We may refer to them as “attendants” or “men who had responsibility for opening and shutting the gates.”

No one needed to depart from his duties means that neither the Temple musicians nor the men who opened and shut the Temple gates needed to leave their assigned places during the Passover Festival.

For their brethren the Levites prepared the passover for them may be rendered “because the other Levites prepared the Passover meat for them” (similarly Good News Bible). As in verse 13 (see the comments there), Revised Standard Version adds the implied object the passover.

Good News Bible provides a helpful model for combining verses 15 and 16. Our following models for combining them are based on Contemporary English Version:

• While everybody was celebrating the Passover feast [or, fiesta], some of the Levites prepared food for those Levites who were assigned to the gates of the Temple, and also for the Temple musicians who were Levites from the Asaph clan. They did this so that these people didn’t have to leave the posts [or, positions] assigned to them by King David and his representatives Asaph, Zechariah and Eddinus.

• While everybody was celebrating the Passover feast, some of the Levites prepared food for the Levites who were at the gates of the Temple, and for those Levites from the Asaph clan who were Temple musicians. They did this so that these people didn’t have to leave the positions that King David and his representatives Asaph, Zechariah and Eddinus had assigned to them.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.